A Different Kind of Prejudice
by Gitters-Gold
Summary: Regency. Mr. Darcy does not expect to have a good time in Hertfordshire, to say the least. Much to his surprise, he begins to find himself drawn to the second eldest Bennet sibling, a Mr. Edward Bennet. Too bad Edward despises him. D/E
1. Chapter 1

"Come Darcy. I hate to see you standing about in this stupid manner. I know you are not fond of dancing, so why not try conversing with someone?" Bingley said to his friend.

"I certainly shall not. In an assembly such as this, it would be insupportable. Your sisters are engaged at present, and there is not a person in the room who it would not be a punishment to talk to," Darcy replied coolly. Bingley scoffed.

"I would not be as fastidious as you are for a kingdom! Why, there are plenty of pleasant people in attendance. The woman I was dancing with, Miss Bennet, is charming. She has a brother, Edward, whom she tells me is very intelligent. There he is now!" He indicated behind Darcy. Darcy turned his head and caught the eye of a young man with dark hair.

"Miss Bennet's claim that he is intelligent was no doubt just an attempt to make her relations seem agreeable. From the looks of him, I would be very surprised if he was not as uneducated as the rest of the people here. Return to Miss Bennet and enjoy her smiles, you're wasting your time with me," he replied. Bingley opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it and turned away. Darcy watched as his friend approached Miss Bennet, who was talking to another young woman animatedly.

All of a sudden, Mr. Darcy felt a small force hit his back, and he stumbled forward. Several people watched with amusement as Darcy regained his balance and spun around to see what had caused him to almost fall. Miss Bennet's brother stood there, a wry look on his face.

"I'm terribly sorry, how clumsy of me," he said. With that, he walked off, not casting Darcy a second glance.

Darcy was fuming. _How dare he? Does he not know who I am? _He was very conscious of the reaction that little scene had caused. Many of the people in the room were whispering and looking pointedly at him, and he could only imagine what they were saying.

He contemplated what to do from here. Storming out and returning to Netherfield was the most tempting choice, but he was not about to let the insufferable man get what he wanted. However, he could not bare to just stand there and be the butt of everyone's jokes. He sighed, knowing what he had to do. He did not like it, but he felt he had no choice.

"Sir William," he called as the gentleman was walking by. Upon hearing his name, he turned to Darcy with a surprised look.

"Would you be so kind as to introduce me to..." Darcy trailed off as he scanned the room. He picked a girl at random and gestured at her. Sir Lucas smiled and nodded.

"Certainly, sir," he said as he began walking over to her. "Maria, my dear! This is Mr. Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire. Mr. Darcy, this is my daughter Maria Lucas." Darcy bowed politely, as Miss Lucas curtsied, a blush overspreading her face.

"Miss Lucas, would you do me the honor of dancing the next with me?" He said stiffly. Her eyebrows immediately shot up, but she regained her composure quickly.

"Certainly, sir," she replied, with a shy smile. She was a young girl, Darcy guessed she was not 17. Her blond hair was pulled back in no particularly special way, and her dress was very plain.

As they began dancing, Darcy noticed that many heads were turned towards them. Excellent. Now, instead of discussing his embarrassing stumble, they would talk about how generous it was of him to ask a country nobody to dance.

"...rich man looks so severe..." He heard as he danced past a couple of elder women standing against the wall. He inwardly groaned. It seemed that no matter what he did, these people were determined to think ill of him. He sighed and attempted to smile at his dance partner.

"Do you enjoy reading, Miss Lucas?" He asked, trying to sound genuinely interested. Maria nodded.

"Indeed, sir, I do. Although, I confess I would rather spend my free time riding," she replied. Darcy felt his eyebrows rise.

"Yes, riding is a very compelling pastime," he replied. Maria smiled and nodded.

"Yes sir. When I was 13, my father taught me how to ride, and ever since, I take every opportunity I can to do so," she said. Darcy nodded approvingly, and she smiled and continued. "Now, I confess I cannot imagine life without Annie."

"Your horse's name, I presume?" Darcy asked in surprise. At Maria's nod, he found himself actually smiling. "That is my horse's name as well. I allowed my sister to name her when I first acquired her," he said. He almost stopped in the middle of the dance floor. Why had he just told her that? She was a young, unremarkable girl whom he had just met that night. However, he had to admit (grudgingly) that he was enjoying himself decidedly more now. In fact, when the music stopped, he found himself somewhat disappointed.

As he came up from his bow to Miss Lucas, he accidentally made eye contact with the young Mr. Bennet, who appeared to be studying him. As he met his gaze, neither of them looked away. Darcy looked at him challengingly, raising an eyebrow. A small smile found it's way to Bennet's mouth, and he finally turned away.

* * *

"And Jane was so admired! Mr. Bingley asked her to dance twice. Twice, Mr. Bennet!" Mrs. Bennet gushed. Mr. Bennet sighed and closed his book. It looked as though peace and quiet were a thing of the past.

"Everyone agrees that Mr. Bingley is the most amiable and handsome man as ever there was! And it will not be long now until he falls in love with Jane, and what pin money she will have!" Mrs. Bennet continued, barely stopping for breath.

"If she were to marry Mr. Bingley, she would undoubtedly be in the company of Mr. Darcy often. That is not a fate I would wish upon anyone," Edward said, speaking up for the first time since they had returned. Mr. Bennet raised an eyebrow at his son.

"Mr. Darcy?" he asked. Before Edward could explain, Mrs. Bennet opened her mouth.

"Mr. Bingley brought him along for some unfathomable reason. He was the proudest, most disagreeable man I have ever seen! He slighted poor Edward you know, and flatly refused to converse with him," she said angrily.

"Slighted my son, did he? Well Edward, I would not converse with him even if he did want to!" He replied. His son laughed.

"I believe, sir, that I can safely promise you never to converse with Mr. Darcy."

* * *

"Good morning, Mr. Darcy," Caroline Bingley said as the man entered the dining room the following morning. He nodded to her, as well as the rest of the party as he took his seat.

"We were just talking about how tedious last evening was to endure," Caroline continued. Her sister, Mrs. Hurst, nodded from her seat next to Caroline. Bingley rolled his eyes.

"My sisters were talking of it, I however disagree completely. I have never met with pleasanter people or prettier girls in my life," he said to his friend.

"Prettier girls? Charles, you cannot be serious. They were all considerably plain," Caroline said disdainfully. Darcy had to stop himself from nodding in agreement.

"The eldest Miss Bennet was very far from plain, Caroline," Bingley replied.

"Perhaps. But other than her, I confess I saw no woman whom I would consider pretty," she glanced at Darcy. "Especially the young Lucas girl. She has absolutely nothing to recommend herself."

Darcy knew that she had only singled her out because he had danced with her, and felt an odd inclination to defend her.

"Her father is a knight, surely that is something to be proud of. Besides, she was a good conversationalist," he replied, staring at her levelly. Caroline looked away, her face turning red. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Bingley smiling.

"Her father has invited us all to a gathering at Lucas Lodge in two days time. I told him that we would be delighted to attend," Charles said.

Darcy looked down at his plate and smiled slightly. While he was not attracted to the young Miss Lucas, he did enjoy her conversation and would be happy to see her again. His smile faded as his thoughts turned toward the Bennets. He was not overly excited to see the young Mr. Bennet again, after the embarrassment he had caused him.

* * *

As the Bennets arrived at Lucas Lodge, Mrs. Bennet immediately scanned the room for Mr. Bingley. Upon seeing that he and his party had not yet arrived, Mrs. Bennet instead rushed over to her sister, Mrs. Phillips, and inquired after the latest gossip.

Edward smiled as he saw his best friend, Christopher Lucas, and his sister Maria standing by the wall, talking. They grinned at him as he walked over to them.

"Christopher, Maria," he said, nodding to each of them in turn. He turned towards the door. "It seems that the famous Netherfield party has yet to arrive," he continued. "I cannot say I am upset."

"What, you did not like them?" Maria asked, surprise etched on her face. He shook his head.

"Bingley was a charming fellow, to be sure, but his sisters and his friend seemed very arrogant indeed," he replied.

"Oh, I thought Mr. Darcy was very amiable," Maria replied.

"You just think highly of him because he singled you out to dance," Christopher said jokingly to his sister. She shook her head.

"It was more than that. He seemed genuinely interested in our conversation," she replied. Edward raised his eyebrows. He had observed the two of them dancing, but from where he was standing, Darcy's "genuine interest" looked a bit forced. His thoughts were interrupted as the man himself- as well as Mr. Bingley, his sisters, and Mr. Hurst walked in. After paying their compliments to Sir William, Mr. Bingley immediately sought out Jane, while his sisters were sucked into a conversation with Lady Lucas. Seeing Maria, Darcy walked over to their group. His step faltered when he noticed that Edward was standing by her, but he seemed not to let it deter him.

"Miss Lucas, it is a pleasure to see you again," he said as he bowed.

"Thank you, Mr. Darcy. Allow me to introduce you to my brother, Christopher Lucas, and our neighbor, Edward Bennet," she said. The gentlemen bowed, and Edward caught Darcy's eye as he came up.

"How are you enjoying your time around all of us uneducated people, Mr. Darcy?" Edward asked. Mr. Darcy looked impassive and did not answer.

"Edward, what ever do you mean? There are plenty of intelligent people in the room," Christopher said in confusion. Edward gave Darcy a knowing look, while the gentleman remained silent.

"Christopher, Maria, papa needs our assistance," a younger Lucas boy said, popping his head into the group. He nodded at Mr. Darcy and Edward before scampering off. Christopher and Maria politely excused themselves, leaving Edward and Darcy alone. Edward grimaced and scanned the room, looking for an excuse to get away.

* * *

As Mr. Darcy entered Lucas Lodge, his whole party left him almost as soon as they were shown into the room. He did not mind losing the company of Caroline and the Hursts, but without Charles he suddenly felt very self conscious. His eyes fell upon Miss Lucas, and he decided to walk over to her. As he walked, he noticed Edward Bennet staring at him from next to Miss Lucas, and he had to keep his face from grimacing.

As she introduced him properly to Edward Bennet and her brother, he caught the young Mr. Bennet's eye and almost forgot to bow. His eyes were deep brown and very round and doe like. No pair of eyes on the face of anyone in his acquaintance had ever affected him like this. With a start, he realized that the man had said something, and Miss Lucas's brother was now saying something in reply.

"...people in the room," he was saying. Instead of answering, Mr. Edward was giving Darcy a look that he couldn't interpret.

As the two Lucas' siblings departed, he found himself studying Edward. Darcy had never been attracted to anyone, really, but he found Edward's slim figure compelling. His brown hair was slightly longer than Darcy's own, and his face was rather handsome. Luckily, Edward made an excuse and walked away, leaving Darcy to try and banish these odd thoughts and sensations from his reverie.

"I am sorry to have left you like that, Mr. Darcy," a voice at his elbow said. He turned around to see Miss Lucas standing next to him, an apologetic look on her face. This time, she was alone.

"It is no matter, Miss Lucas," he replied. Before he could say anything else, their attention was drawn to an obnoxiously loud laughter emanating from a young girl who was practically running past them. Darcy tried to mask his disgust at the spectacle while turning towards Miss Lucas.

"A friend of yours?" he asked, trying not to seem too affronted by the young woman's behavior. Miss Lucas nodded timidly.

"Yes, that is Miss Lydia Bennet. She is the youngest of the family, and is very...excitable," Miss Lucas replied. Darcy nodded and looked back at the young woman, only to see that she was talking to her brother. The young Mr. Bennet appeared to be scolding her, and she appeared to be having none of it. Darcy had to fight an amused smile off his face at the look of annoyance the brother was giving to the sister.

"Lydia and Edward do not get along very well," Maria said, chuckling.

"Are you and Mr. Edward Bennet close, then?" Darcy asked, noting Maria's use of his first name. She nodded.

"Yes, I have known him for as long as I can remember. When I was a girl, I played together with Lydia and Kitty often, and Edward would sometimes chase us around pretending to be a dragon," she said laughingly. "He's a good man." Darcy nodded, not knowing what to say. He was saved from having to respond by Sir William walking over to join them.

As Sir William began to speak, Maria politely excused herself. Darcy watched as she approached one of the younger Bennet girls, Miss Kitty he believed, and begin to talk animatedly. He was distracted from his reverie when he heard a loud, deep laughter emanating from near where he stood. He turned his head to see Edward Bennet, head thrown back in laughter at something Maria's brother (what was his name?) had said. Sir William, realizing that Darcy had heard not a word of what he had just said, shook his head and walked away to find a more agreeable conversation partner. Darcy did not notice, as he was straining his ears to hear what the two gentlemen were talking about.

"You cannot begin to pretend to know what is going on in her head, Christopher," Edward said. "Even if she is a dear friend of yours, do we men ever really know what is going on in a woman's head?"

"Of course not, but I know what goes through a man's head, and I do not think that Mr. Bingley will pursue Jane if she does not show more interest," Mr. Lucas replied. Darcy raised his eyebrows. He was unable to hear more, for a few of the people in the room had begun dancing as a woman played a lively tune on the piano, drowning out the sounds of the young men's conversation.

"What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr. Darcy! There is nothing like dancing, after all. I consider it as one of the first refinements of polished societies," Sir William stated, appearing at Darcy's side once more.

"I am not terribly fond of dancing," he replied, wishing to be left alone.

Sir William laughed and shook his head.

"It appears, Mr. Darcy, that our views on the subject are different. Ah, Edward!" he said, as the said gentleman was walking by. Edward stopped and turned towards Sir William with a questioning smile on his face.

"Mr. Darcy and I were just discussing dancing. He says he does not like it, what is your opinion on the subject?" he asked. Edward's smile had vanished when he noticed that Darcy was involved in the conversation, but it began to reappear near the end of Sir William's inquiry.

"It does not surprise me that Mr. Darcy does not care for dancing, given how little of it he did at the assembly last week" Edward said, eyes lit up with delight at the chance to make fun of the man who had insulted him. Darcy almost chuckled.

"It is true, I did not dance as much as some others, but I recall dancing more than you," Darcy said levelly. Since he had arrived at the assembly, Darcy had not seen Mr. Bennet dance a single dance. Edward raised his eyebrows and smiled.

"Well, we can certainly add 'observation skills' to list of Mr. Darcy's positive attributes, cannot we?" he said, turning to an uncomfortable Sir William. Darcy began speaking before the older man could respond.

"I am curious, Mr. Bennet, as to why you were so quick to judge my lack of dancing when you yourself did not dance at all that night?" he asked.

Edward opened his mouth, and then closed it. Darcy, feeling triumphant that he had bested the impertinent young man, bowed to the two gentlemen and walked away.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Edward decided to take a walk to clear his mind. Ever since his conversation with Mr. Darcy the night before, he had not felt at ease.

At the first ball he had ever attended, he danced once with a young lady whom he was informed was very pretty. He found that he did not enjoy it at all, the dancing or the lady. Ever since then, he was determined never to dance again.

At first, the neighborhood and his parents reacted negatively to the way he never asked anyone to dance, but as time went on, everybody became accustomed to it. It had been years since anybody had brought it up to him, and that was how he liked it. He was alright with going to assembly balls and simply conversing with Christopher and his other friends, and leaving the dancing to his sisters and everyone else.

He should not have been surprised that Mr. Darcy would bring it up, since he had just called the man out on his own lack of dancing. Darcy was simply giving him a taste of his own medicine, so to speak. But for some unidentifiable reason, it bothered him.

They were thrown in each other's company often after that, at various parties and gatherings. Edward did his best to ignore Darcy, but he seemed to always accidentally make eye contact with him. He looked away immediately every time, but he could never shake the feeling that the gentleman was still watching him. Edward often found that when he entered a conversation with a group of gentlemen, Darcy would soon join the conversation as well, although he rarely contributed.

On one such occasion, at a gathering at Netherfield, Edward, Colonel Forster and a few of the officers were engaged in a conversation about hunting when Mr. Darcy walked over. Edward had to refrain from rolling his eyes, as he knew the man would not speak a single word. Not wanting to be in the company of the person who made him feel so uneasy, Edward politely excused himself. He noticed Christopher standing on the other side of the room and made his way over to him.

"Why does Darcy join so many conversations only to remain completely silent?" Edward asked Christopher, after they had exchanged greetings. Christopher groaned good naturedly.

"Ed, why must we discuss this at every single social event we attend?" he laughed. Edward smiled slightly, but would not be deterred.

"I am serious, Chris. I do not understand why he feels the need to make everyone uncomfortable."

"Why does it bother you so? He is not harming anyone. Why not just let it go?" Christopher asked. Edward sighed and nodded.

"You are right, of course. I should not let it get to me. I suppose that ever since the comment he made at the assembly, I've been looking for more reasons to dislike him," Edward admitted. The two men turned their eyes to the subject of their conversation. Darcy had moved away from Colonel Forster and was now standing alone, staring intently at something on the other side of the room. Edward followed his line of sight, and found that the object of Darcy's scrutiny was Bingley and Jane, who seemed to be deep in conversation.

"Why is he looking at Bingley and my sister so?" Edward asked.

"Must we analyze everything the man does? My God Edward, I think he just blinked. Why do you think he just blinked? I wish he would not blink so," Christopher said dramatically, throwing his hand over his forehead. Edward rolled his eyes, but laughed at his friend's amusing spectacle.

Meanwhile, a few meters away, Darcy's thoughts about the mistake Bingley was making were interrupted by the same laugh he had heard at Lucas Lodge the previous week. His eyes moved over to Edward quite on their own accord. Unconsciously, he began moving closer to the man. Before he got too far, however, Bingley had stood up and asked for everybody's attention. The room went silent as all eyes moved to their host.

"I have a great desire to dance. My sister has graciously agreed to play a jig for us, anyone who would like to join may do so at this time," he said. He then bowed and offered his hand to Jane, who turned bright red at being the center of attention.

Edward, who had seen Mr. Darcy approaching earlier, sent a silent "thank you" in Bingley's direction for sparing him from a conversation with the man. As much as he hated dancing, he knew he would much rather dance than have to talk to Mr. Darcy. He saw Maria sitting with Kitty, and decided to approach her. If he had to dance with anyone, it might as well be his dear friend.

Maria smiled at him and accepted his hand. Christopher followed suit and asked Kitty for the honor of the dance. She hesitated for a second, but even Kitty knew how rude it would be to decline. She grudgingly stood up to follow Christopher, all the while hoping that the officers in attendance would not be discouraged from asking her to dance later.

* * *

**A/N: Wow, thank you for all of the follows and favorites! I knew this was an ambitious idea for a story and wasn't sure how well received the concept would be. I'm glad you all are so open minded :) **


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Jane received an invitation to dine with the Bingley sisters at Netherfield for that evening. Despite the fact that Mr. Bingley would not be in attendance, she greatly desired to go. Mrs. Bennet could barely contain her excitement as she told Jane she must go on horseback, as the carriage was already going to be in use that evening. Jane, being the sweet soul that she is, did not argue, even though it looked like it might rain.

So that is how, some hours later, Jane found herself on her way to Netherfield in the pouring rain. Mrs. Bennet watched her go from the window with glee, praying that her daughter would catch a cold and be forced to stay the night.

"I am so proud of myself for concocting this plan, Edward," She said to her son. Edward glanced up from the book he was reading with a cocked eyebrow.

"What plan would that be, Mama?" He asked hesitantly, not entirely sure if he wished to know. As his mother explained her plot to keep Jane at Netherfield all night, Edward couldn't help but sigh.

"She could very well catch a cold, Mama. I hope she will be alright," he replied. Mrs. Bennet shrugged her shoulders and said nothing. There was nothing that anyone could say would make her feel guilty about her conduct, as it was for a good cause.

Edward's hopes were in vain, as it turned out. The next morning, the family received a letter from Jane that she had a fever, a sore throat and a throbbing headache. Edward felt for his sister, and wished for the billionth time in his life that his mother had some more common sense.

After breakfast, he decided to walk to Netherfield to see Jane. After the rain from the night before, most of the way was very muddy, but he didn't mind. He had always loved walks, and a little mud never hurt anyone.

As he rounded a corner near Netherfield, he suddenly collided with another human being. After their bodies hit, he found himself falling backward with little hope of stabilizing himself. As his back hit the muddy earth, he felt the wind leave his body and he cringed in pain. What made it all worse was that the person he had crashed in to was none other than Mr. Darcy.

Darcy seemed stunned at what had just happened, but he composed himself enough to extend his hand to help Edward up. Edward ignored it and stood up on his own, trying to regain his breath.

"I apologize, Mr. Bennet. Are you alright?" Darcy asked. Edward nodded.

"Thank you Mr. Darcy, I believe my pride is hurt more than anything," he responded, chuckling a little. "I have come to visit Jane, I heard she was very ill," he continued. Darcy looked down at his muddy boots and pants.

"On foot?"

"Yes, it was a beautiful day outside, and I could always use the exercise," Edward responded. "However, I do not really need to justify that to you. So could you please take me to my sister?" Darcy raised his eyebrows at the man's impertinence, but nodded.

Jane looked even worse than Edward had imagined. Her body was caked in sweat and her hair greasily stuck to her pale forehead. She looked miserable, yet she still greeted Edward with a big smile. Edward pulled up a chair and took his sister's hand.

"Jane, darling, how are you feeling?" He asked.

"Better, now that you're here," she replied. "How are Mama and Papa?"

"Mama's as ridiculous as always and Papa is his normal, reclusive self. Lydia and Kitty spent the entire breakfast hour trying to convince him to throw a party for the officers at Longbourn, and he was having none of it," he laughed. Jane laughed too, which caused her to go into a fit of coughing.

They spent some time talking about their family, but it was not long before Edward realized that his sister needed sleep. He kissed her forehead and promised to visit her the next day, to which she shook her head violently.

"Oh no Edward, please stay," she replied. Edward fought the urge to shake his head and take his leave, but Jane looked so hopeful that he knew he had to give in.

"If the Bingleys issue me an invitation, I will stay," he agreed.

As Jane drifted off, Edward decided to try and locate the dining room, as it was around time for luncheon. With the help of a servant, he soon found himself being presented in front of Mr. Bingley, his sisters, Mr. Hurst, and Mr. Darcy, all of whom were sitting down and eating. Bingley invited Edward to join them right away, much to his sister's obvious chagrin. The idea of his muddy back on their fine dining room chair made her almost physically sick.

"May I enquire after your sister?" Darcy asked from across the table.

"She is very ill indeed, I'm sorry to say," Edward replied, surprised that Darcy had been the one to ask.

"I am so sorry to hear that. I very much hope that she will recover soon," Bingley said from the head of the table, worry etched into his face.

"Yes, poor Jane. She is such a sweet girl, it is unfortunate that she is unwell," Caroline added. Bingley looked thoughtful for a moment, and then began to speak.

"Mr. Bennet, would you do us the honor of being our guest here at Netherfield until your sister feels better? I am sure she would love your company, as would we," Bingley asked graciously.

"Thank you, Mr. Bingley. You are too kind," he replied, smiling at his host. He sensed Darcy shift in his chair across the table and fought the urge to grin wickedly at the man. "I should return to Longbourn to get some clothes today, as I did not anticipate a long stay and therefore did not bring any."

"Nonsense, we will send for your clothes! It is no trouble," Bingley replied. Edward would have much rather returned home and retrieved them himself, but he did not want to argue with his amiable host.

"Thank you, sir," he responded.

"Would you care to go fishing with Darcy and myself after luncheon?" Bingley asked. Although Edward was not a huge fan of fishing, he agreed to go. It could not hurt to get to know his sister's potential suitor better, after all.

* * *

When Darcy had woken up that morning, he had no idea what the day would have in store for him.

He had hoped to get a morning ride in, but none of the horses were available for his use, so he decided to simply take a walk around the grounds instead. He soon became lost in thought.

Darcy had known for years that he was not attracted to women in the same way as most men were. He did not get any pleasure from the sight of a naked woman, nor did he have any desire to take a wife and have to father children. He had tried to convince himself that the right woman had just not come along yet, but as time went on and still no woman had caught his eye, he began to doubt himself.

Such were his thoughts as he turned around a corner and ran right into Edward Bennet. Their bodies were only touching for a very brief time, a second at most, but it was enough to make Darcy tremble. He soon came to his senses, however, and offered to help the man up. He was taken aback when Edward ignored his hand and got up on his own.

"I apologize, Mr. Bennet. Are you alright?" He asked with genuine concern.

"Thank you Mr. Darcy, I believe my pride is hurt more than anything," he said, laughing. His cheeks had turned red from the cold weather, and his hair was a little messier than usual due to the wind. "I have come to visit Jane, I heard she was very ill," he said. Darcy couldn't help but notice that his eyes seemed brighter than usual, and it was not an unpleasing thing to behold.

_Dammit man! Get yourself together, _Darcy told himself. Mr. Bennet was a rude country nobody who did NOT have pleasing eyes. He forced his own eyes to look down instead, and in doing so he noticed that the young man's clothes were very muddy.

"On foot?" he asked curiously.

"Yes, it was a beautiful day outside, and I could always use the exercise. However, I do not really need to justify that to you. So could you please take me to my sister?" he said impatiently. Darcy raised his eyebrows. He was not used to being talked to like that by people he barely knew. Not knowing how to reply, he simply nodded and began walking toward the house.

* * *

Darcy was glad when the time came for the gentlemen to go fishing, as it gave him an excuse to get away from Caroline. It also meant, however, that he was forced to spend more time in the company of Edward Bennet, the man who excelled in confusing him. In one moment, Darcy would feel anger at the man's obvious disrespect for him, only to have an intense desire to be near him in the next.

As the gentlemen stood in front of the lake, fishing rods in hand, Darcy remained silent as Charles and Edward carried on a conversation about the neighborhood. Charles was telling Edward how agreeable he found Sir William Lucas to be, which caused Edward to smile and agree wholeheartedly.

All of a sudden, there was a commotion nearer to the lake. One of the servant men began yelling and pointing to the lake, causing the three gentlemen to rapidly turn their attention towards him.

"The boy! He can't swim!" he yelled frantically. Darcy looked at the lake in panic, and noticed the top of a little servant boy's head become submerged by water as he thrashed his arms about. Before Darcy could react, Edward had dropped his fishing rod and was running towards the lake. Without any hesitation, he dove in, fully clothed, and swam over to the boy. As he pulled him above the water, the boy began breathing heavily and spitting out water. Edward waded over to the shore and placed the boy on solid ground, as the servant who had yelled for them ran over and wrapped him in a blanket.

"Are you alright?" Edward asked the little boy. Although tears were streaming down his face, he nodded.

"Thank you, sir. You saved my life," the boy said. He opened his arms and hugged the gentleman, which took Edward by surprise, but he smiled and hugged the boy back.

"Promise me you'll be more careful from now on, alright?" he said as the boy pulled away. He nodded solemnly. Edward patted him on the head and walked back over to his hosts.

"Mr. Bingley, perhaps I should go back to the house and change into some dry clothes," he said, shrugging off his drenched jacket. Doing this exposed the way his shirt clung to his body tightly, leaving little to the imagination when it came to his muscles. Darcy could not help but stare, even as Bingley began to apologetically say that his clothes had probably not yet arrived. As Edward nodded, his eyes turned towards Darcy, and he could not help but notice that the man's eyes were on his chest. All of a sudden, Darcy's eyes traveled up to meet Edward's, and Edward could not read the expression in them. It seemed almost… longing. Whatever it was faded fast, however, as he put on his usual stoic face.

"Thank you for your service to the boy," he said, looking past Edward.

"Yes, thank you very much, Mr. Bennet. You certainly are a hero, sir," Bingley added. Edward's cheeks turned red as he replied.

"I do not know about that, Mr. Bingley. I simply did what anyone would do in that situation."

As they walked back to the house, Darcy looked everywhere but at Edward. Seeing him like this was doing nothing but giving him very confusing feelings, feelings that he did not want to acknowledge. When they returned to the house and Bingley asked a servant to fetch some dry clothes for Mr. Bennet, Darcy veered off into his own chambers. He needed to be alone for a few hours.


End file.
